Improvement in hemp-brakes



R, HENEAGE.

Flax and Hemp Brake.

Patented Dec. 21, 1858.

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ROBERT HENEAGE, OF BUFFALO, NEI/V YORK, ASSIGNOR TO -IIMSELF AND EDD. O. BALL, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT EN HElv'lP-BRAKES.

Speeilieaticn forming part of Letters Patent N0. 22%399, dated December' 2l, 1858.

fo @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERT HENEAGE, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Machines for Dressing Flax and Hemp; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention relates to the arrangement and combination of parts, as herein described, for the purpose of producing an improved and practically-working machine for dressing laX and hemp.

Figure I is a side elevation of my said im- Vproved machine. Fig. II is a plan oi' the same. Fig. III is a longitudinal section. Fig. IV is an end elevation showing the reversing mechanism.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

A represents a table upon which the iiax or hemp is laid in order to be carried to the brake.

B B'l is the brake. This consists of two luted rollers, the one placed above the other, and both revolving together. Journals are formed upon their ends, which have bearings in the standards D. rI here is a slot in each standard, which allows of a vertical movement to the upper roller, B, in order to compensate i'or the differeat thicknesses of flax or hemp which may happen to be placed upon the ta- The weighted lever H, bearing upon the journal of the upper roller, makes an elastic or yielding pressure upon said roller. rIlhe cog-wheel E is placed on the end of the lower roller, B2, and meshes in with pinion F. These two iluted rollers constitute what I call the brake,7 and they also operate as feeders to feed the iiaX or hemp to the beater, and also to return the hemp after it has been subjected to the action of the brake and beater to the table.

C2 is a strip of metal, which is let in longitudinally across the face of the revolving cylinder C. These metal strips project half or three-fourths of an inch above the face of the cylinder, and, arranged as they are with the cylinder C, constitute what I call the beater7 the latter end will quickly pass the shell and fall down upon the roller J3, where the beater strikes it and completes the work.

I is an outside case or cap, which sets on the frame over the beater.

J represents arevolving apron, which serves the purpose of returning the ilax to the hands 0f the workman after it has been subjected to the action ofthe beater.

L represents a stationary bottom, making the segment of a circle with the cap I. EX-

cept at its termination, it has a slight and short curve upward for the purpose of throwing off and outwardly the current of air generated by the revolution of the beater.

M represents a blower, which may or may not be used with the machine. I do not consider it an indispensable part of the machine.

N O P represent bands and pulleys arranged in any weltknown manner for the purpose ol` applying power to the machine.

R S T U V, reversing mechanism, consisting of lever, clutch-shaft, and loose pulleys, arranged in a common and well-known manner, for the purpose of reversing the motion ol' the revolving brake, (or feedrollers B B2) so that a parcel* of hemp may be run in through the brake and into the chamber as far as practicable, and then run out again upon the table and have its ends reversed, and then subjected to the same action over again.

IV is the main frame of the machine.

X shows a chamber or recess for the purpose of passing the hemp into during the process of dressing, as herein described.

Operation: (See Fig. III.) Vhen iiax is to be dressed, it is in the first place spread upon the table A in a proper quantity to be fed to the brake. The revolving brake or iluted rollers B B2 draw it in and crush or break the woody part thereof (or shive) and carry it along overthe shell K, where the beater acts upon it and beats-out the shives. The flax follows the direction indicated by arrow 2, and passes onto the apron J and under the roller J 2, and

along to the hands of the workman. W'hen hemp is to be dressed, the apron J is not used. It is thrown out of gear and remains stationary. A parcel of hemp is then put upon the table A and carried to the brake. The brake crushes or breaks it, and it passes over the shell K, where the beater strikes it and beats it against the shell K and separates the shives therefrom. It moves along past the apron in the direction indicated by arrow 3 and into the chamber or recess X. Itis not allowed to pass entirely through the brake; but while a portion of it is still upon the table and within the grasp of the workman the motion -of the brake is reversed, and it is run back upon the table, and the workman immediately changes its position upon the table and runs its nndressed part through the brake, as before, vso that the brake and beater have acted upon its entire body and fully dressed it. Thev motion of the brake is then again reversed, and the parcel of hemp is run back upon the table to the hands ofthe workman, and the Work of the machine uponthe parcel is complete. This process is repeated for each parcel put upon the table. Hemp is thus very nicely dressed, and the shives separated therefrom without wasting or snarling the fiber and while it remains straight and smooth.,

. I claim- 1. The combination of the reversing mech.

anism with the brake B B2, beater C C2, and shell K, substantially as herein described, and for the purpose of dressing hemp, asset forth. 2. The combination and arrangement of the brake B B2 with the revolving beater C C2, shell K, and revolving apron J, for the purpose of dressing rlaX, substantially as herein set forth. l

3. The arrangement of the chamber Xwithin the machine for the purpose of ai'ording room for the movements of the hemp while being dressed, substantially as herein described.

ROBT. HENEAGE. Vitnesses:

E. B. FoRBUsH, D. WV. ANDRUs, 

